Event 3: LASER: De-colonizing AI

 I recently attended the Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous that was lead by Professor Vensa, Karamjit Gill, Satinder Gill, Amir Baradaran, and Mashinka Hakopian who all gathered to bring more attention to AI and put in the context of art and humanity as well as showcasing the importance of decolonizing AI. 

Aican's recreation of "Birth of Venus"

One aspect of the presentation that I was captivated by was the introduction Mashinka Hakopian gave on the AI known as Aican. Aican, which is artificial intelligence that can replicate and produce art was developed at the Rutgers AI lab, exemplified the limitations of AI's understanding of art. Trained on a dataset of 80,000 images primarily from the Western canon, Aican can determine whether something is art or not based on this limited exposure. However, its judgment is confined to Western art, limiting its comprehension of art forms beyond this scope and limiting its ability to properly imitate non-Western features that may be seen in art. 

Image showing the inability of Aican to represent non-Western features within its art

This lack of representation of non-Western cultures by the AI showcases not only the limitations of AI but also some of the reservations many hold on the usage of AI within art. But as we know the development and advancement of mechanization have led to great changes in the world. The development of the printing press, which was revolutionary for its time, allowed for mass production of information (Vesna). Also, the mechanization of the world has also brought new forms of art. Benjamin Walter discusses how movies are a new form of art and how it has changed the way people view art, so there's also a possibility that AI usage can become another new form of art. But as AI continues to evolve and integrate within society, it is crucial to critically examine its impact and work towards a more inclusive and ethically grounded future for AI usage within not only art but all other industries AI will be used in.


I would definitely recommend attending a future panel with all speakers who were present during the event due to the fact that it made me think much more of how AI is created and the possible implications that may have on the inclusivity of AI technology.



Citations 

Elgammal A. (2023, May 26). Meet AICAN, a machine that operates as an autonomous artist. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/meet-aican-a-machine-that-operates-as-an-autonomous-artist-104381 

Vesna, Victoria. “Robotics pt1.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Apr. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRw9_v6w0ew&ab_channel=UCOnline. 


Benjamin, Walter. “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks, SAGE Publishing, 2013, pp. 25–33. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446269534.n3.


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